32b: The 14th Rains Retreat (Rāhula)
After observing the thirteenth Rains Retreat (Vassa) at the big monastery on Cālika Hill, near Cālika Town and teaching worthy beings by means of the Dhamma talks, such as the Discourse to Meghiya (Meghiya-sutta, Ud 4.1) etc., as has been mentioned above and after remaining there for the post Rains Retreat period for as long as there existed beings to be enlightened, the Buddha set out from there, administering the cool water of elixir to humans, Devas and Brahmas. Eventually, he arrived in Sāvatthī and stayed at the Jetavana monastery to observe the fourteenth Rains Retreat.
Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Mahā Moggallāna
At that time, Ven. Sāriputta went with his follower monks to a certain big monastery in the district and spent the rainy season. The people of the district visited Ven. Sāriputta and promised to give him a large number of robes for the Rains Retreat (Vassa).
Having performed the Invitation (Pavāraṇā) ceremony at the end of the Rains Retreat, Ven. Sāriputta, being desirous of visiting the Buddha even before the Rains Retreat robes were offered, said to the monks: “Friends, when the lay devotees bring Rains Retreat robes for the young monks and novices, accept them and send them to me. Or store them well and give the message to me.” Having said thus, Ven. Sāriputta set out to visit the Buddha.
When he arrived in Sāvatthī, many monks whispered among themselves, saying: “Friends, still Ven. Sāriputta appears to have greed? That was why he came to the Fortunate One only after saying to the monks, who remain there: ‘When the lay devotees bring Rains Retreat robes for the young monks and novices, accept them and send them to me. Or store them well and give the message to me.’ ”
When the Buddha came to the assembly of monks, he asked: “Monks, what are you talking about?” When the monks replied that they were talking about such and such a matter, the Buddha said: “Monks, in my eldest son, Sāriputta, there is not the slightest amount of greed. Indeed, he left word with his disciples because he thought to himself thus: ‘Let the meritorious deeds of the devotees not decrease! Let the righteous acquisition of robes for the young monks and novices not decrease!’ ” Thereafter he uttered the following verse (Dhp 420):
Āsā yassa na vijjanti, asmiṁ loke paramhi ca,
nirāsāsaṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
O my dear sons, my dear monks! In the mental continuum of an Arahat, whose pollutants (āsava) are gone, craving that clings to things does not exist, not even the minutest part of it, in the present world as well as in the next, as it has been broken and uprooted through the fourfold path-knowledge in the manner of abandoning by cutting off (samuccheda-pahāna). The Arahat, whose pollutants (āsava) are gone, who is totally emancipated from the 108-fold craving and who is dissociated from every kind of mental defilement, him naturally do I declare a true Brahmin!
By the end of the Dhamma talk, a large multitude of people attained the fruition of Stream-entry (Sotāpatti) and so on.
As Ven. Sāriputta was misunderstood by the monks who said that Ven. Sāriputta seemed to have greed, so was Ven. Moggallāna once misunderstood too. His incident was somewhat similar to that of Ven. Sāriputta. What was different in the case of Ven. Moggallāna was, after asserting that there was no greed in him, the Buddha
Yassālayā na vijjanti, aññāya akathaṁkathī,
amatogadham-anuppattaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
O my dear sons, my dear monks! In the mental continuum of an Arahat whose pollutants (āsava) are gone, craving that clings to things does not exist, not even the slightest part of it, as it has been broken and uprooted through the fourfold knowledge in the manner of abandoning by cutting off (samuccheda-pahāna). Having analytically understood the Three Treasures, the triple training and the dependent origination (paṭicca-samuppāda) wheel in their true nature, he is free from doubt. The Arahat whose pollutants (āsava) are gone, who has plunged wisely into the deathless Nibbāna and became an Arahat straight away, him naturally do I declare a true Brahmin.
By the end of this Dhamma talk a large multitude of people attained the fruition of Stream-entry (Sotāpatti) and so on.
Rāhula Attains Awakening
The Buddha was still staying at Jetavana, Sāvatthī, observing the fourteenth Rains Retreat (Vassa) in that city. At that time, Rāhula had completed 20 years of age and had become a newly ordained monk, and had not completed a Rains Retreat as a monastic.
One day, at daybreak, when the Buddha surveyed the world of beings, a thought arose in him: “The fifteen maturities of freedom (vimutti-paripācanīya-dhamma) have now ripened in Rāhula. What if I were to exhort and guide him so that he would take a step further towards the attainment of the paths and fruitions of Awakening!” Herein, the fifteen factors leading to Awakening are:
Three factors with reference to faith (saddhā):
1. Dissociation from faithless persons.
2. Association with faithful persons.
3. Reflection on discourses causing faith.
Three factors with reference to energy (viriya):
4. Dissociation from lazy persons.
5. Association with energetic persons.
6. Reflection on discourses causing energy.
Three factors with reference to mindfulness (sati):
7. Dissociation from unmindful persons.
8. Association with mindful persons.
9. Reflection on discourses causing mindfulness.
Three factors with reference to concentration (samādhi):
10. Dissociation from persons of unconcentrated mind.
11. Association with persons of concentrated mind.
12. Reflection on discourses causing absorption (jhāna) and emancipation (vimokkha).
Three factors with reference to wisdom (paññā):
13. Dissociation from unwise persons.
14. Association with wise persons.
15. Reflection on on the profound wisdom discourses.
Besides, the five faculties (indriya): faith (saddhā), energy (viriya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā); the five perceptions of weariness (nibbedha-bhāgiya-saññā): the perception of impermanence (anicca-saññā), suffering (dukkha-saññā), non-self (anatta-saññā), abandoning (pahāna-saññā) and freedom from lust (virāga-saññā); the five factors as contained in the Discourse to Meghiya [See the previous chapter.] (Ud 4.1): association with good friends, having morality, listening to and reflection on the ten kinds of speech, having
Having conceived this idea the Buddha entered Sāvatthī city in the morning for alms and after finishing his meal, he departed from the alms resort and said to Rāhula: “Bring a mat to sit on, Rāhula, and let us go to the Andhavana grove to spend the day there.” – “Very well, exalted Buddha,” he answered and followed the Buddha closely carrying the mat.
At that time, several thousands of Devas and Brahmas who had resolved to have certain spiritual attainments together with Pālita, the Nāga King, who was to become Rāhula, in the presence of the Buddha Padumuttara 100,000 aeons ago, also followed the Buddha in close succession with the belief that the Fortunate One would exhort and teach Rāhula so that he would take a step further towards the attainment of the paths and fruitions of Awakening.
Herein, these several thousands of Devas and Brahmas, who had resolved spiritually 100,000 aeons ago and had been waiting, asked among themselves: “When will the Fortunate One’s exhortation and guidance take place so that Rāhula would become an Arahat as a further step?” When the Buddha thought of exhorting and guiding Rāhula, as his faculties, such as faith, energy, etc., had finally grown, these several thousands of celestial beings, who had been longing all the time for that opportune moment of the Buddha’s thinking, for they had shared the desire for spiritual growth, assembled in the Andhavana grove knowing that conditions were thus becoming favourable to them as well.
Yasorata and the Andhavana Grove
Herein a short account of the Andhavana Grove near Sāvatthī city will be reproduced from the exposition on the Discourse about the Anthill (Vammika-sutta, MN 23).
The grove was widely known as Andhavana in the time of two Buddhas, that is Buddha Kassapa and our Buddha Gotama. Explanation: The body relics of the Buddhas who are of short span of life do not become one mass. In accordance with their resolution, they disintegrate. Therefore, our Buddha, who was of short lifespan, considered thus: “I shall not exist long. As my lifespan is short, only a small number of beings will be able to see me. There are far more beings who have no chance to do so. They will carry my relics to different places to worship and attain celestial abodes.” Consequently, he resolved immediately before his Parinibbāna: “May my bodily relics disintegrate!” hence, the breaking up of the relics of our Buddha.
The bodily relics of the long-lived Buddhas, however, remain as a mass like solid gold. As Buddha Kassapa, who appeared at a time when the people’s lifespan was 20,000 years, was long lived, his relics remained, taking a solid form. Then the people discussed among themselves: “The relic remains in a solid form. It cannot be broken up. What shall we do with it?” After discussion, they agreed on constructing a solid shrine (cetiya), which was the one and only monument. They decided unanimously that its size should be one league in height as well as in circumference. When they discussed the bricks and cement, they made decisions to lay bricks of gold, each costing 100,000 on the outer side, while bricks of gold, each costing 50,000, on the inner side. For cement, realgar and orpiment powder and oil for liquid were used. There were to be four gates, of which one was the king’s undertaking, another, for Prince Paṭhavindhara’s, still another, the undertaking of the officials led by the general and the final one being that of the people led by the chief merchant.
Of these four groups, the first three were men of wealth; so they took their own gold and started their work at their respective gates. But there was delay in the work assigned to the last group as its members did not have sufficient wealth. Then a lay devotee who was well-versed in the Three Baskets (Tipiṭaka) and who was a Non-returner (Anāgāmi), named Yasorata, understanding the reason for the delay, prepared 500 carts and
The people generously gave gold, silver and other materials as much as they could. Those, who could not afford, participated in the act of merit by giving rice, oil and the like. The Non-returner (Anāgāmī) lay devotee, Yasorata, had rice, oil, pulses, etc., sent as provisions for the workers. He bought gold with the remaining things on the barter system and had it sent. In this way, roaming all over Jambudīpa, he received donations and handed them over for the work.
When construction was finished, the executive elders from the work site of the shrine gave a letter to him saying: “The construction of the shrine has been finished. Please, master, come and pay homage to it!” Yasorata had also sent a letter with the message reading: “I have urged and made the whole of Jambudīpa take part in this meritorious act. Try to complete the shrine by using whatever is available.” The two letters crossed midway. But the letter from the worksite reached him earlier.
Having read the letter, Yasorata thought: “I should pay homage to the shrine,” and set out alone. On the way, 500 robbers were terrorizing travelers in a forest grove. Some of them saw the devotee and told the others: “This elderly man had collected gold and silver from the entire Jambudīpa. Pots of gold are rolling on and on,” and they seized him.
Then Yasorata asked: “Young, men, why did you seize me?” The robbers replied: “You have collected all the gold and silver from the entire Jambudīpa. You must give us a little each out of that gold and silver.”
“Do you know, young men, that Buddha Kassapa has attained Parinibbāna? A great shrine of one league in size for enshrining the body relic of that Buddha is being built. For that great edifice, I have tried to get the people involved in this act of merit, it is not for me. And whatever I received, I send to the work site from the place of donation. I have nothing, not a single thing that is worthy, other than the clothes on my body.” Then some robbers said: “What the gentleman told us is true. So let us set him free.” But others asserted: “This man is honoured by the king as well as by the ministers. On seeing any of us in a street at town-centre, he would disclose the matter to them and bring misfortune to us,” thus they spoke, representing those who did not want to free him.
Yasorata, the Non-returner (Anāgāmī) lay devotee, assured them saying: “Young men, I will not create trouble for you.” He said so out of compassion for the robbers, but not because he had attachment for his life. Then a dispute arose among the robbers, one group willing to continue his detention and the other willing to let him go. Finally, the former group won more votes and Yasorata was slain.
At that very moment, as they committed a grave crime to the extent of slaying a highly virtuous man, a Non-returner (Anāgāmī), the eyes of the robbers suddenly went blind, as the flame of an oil lamp is extinguished. The 500 robbers moved about touching this and that with their hands and each of them wailing: “Where are my eyes?” Some who had relatives were taken by their relatives to their respective homes. Others who had no kinsfolk had to live there miserably in leaf-roofed huts under the trees in the forest.
People, who came to the forest, took pity on the blind robbers and gave rice, meal packets and other kinds of food to them, as much as they could. Those who went there for gathering vegetables were asked on their return: “Friends, where have you been?” and they answered: “We have been to the Forest of the Blind (Andhavana).”
In this way, the forest came to be known, far and wide, as Andhavana during the Dispensations of the two Buddhas. What was peculiar about it was its location near a deserted district during the Buddha Kassapa’s ministry. During the ministry of our Buddha, however, it stood at the back of the Jetavana monastery, near the city of Sāvatthī, like a meditation centre where clansmen, wanting the calm of the five sense objects stay.
The Short Discourse Giving Advice to Rāhula
[What follows is based on the Short Discourse Giving Advice to Rāhula (Cūḷa-rāhulovāda-sutta, MN 147).]
The Buddha then entered the Andhavana and sat on the seat prepared under a certain tree nearby Ven. Rāhula, who, having done obeisance respectfully to the Buddha, took a seat. To Rāhula, who had thus taken his seat, the Buddha gave the following Dhamma talk.
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is the sensitive matter called eye, permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is the impermanent sensitive matter called eye unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable sensitive matter called eye be taken falsely through craving as mine (etaṁ mama), through conceit as I (esohaṁ asmi), and through wrong view as my self (eso me atta)?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is this or that form called object, permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is this impermanent form called object unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should this or that impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable form called object be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is eye consciousness (cakkhu-viññāṇa) the element of seeing, permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is the impermanent eye-consciousness unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable eye-consciousness be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is eye-contact (cakkhu-samphassa), permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is the impermanent eye-contact unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable eye-contact be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Are the four mental aggregates of feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), volitions (saṅkhāra) and particular consciousness (viññāṇa), depending on the contact of the eye, permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the four impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable mental elements be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is the sensitive matter called ear permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.” etc.
This is the teaching on the five items concerning the ear (sota-pañcaka).
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is the sensitive matter called nose permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.” etc.
This is the teaching on the five items concerning the nose (ghāna-pañcaka).
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is the sensitive matter called tongue permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.” etc.
This is the teaching on the five items concerning the tongue (jivhā-pañcaka).
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is the sensitive matter called body permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.” etc.
This is the teaching on the five items concerning the body (kāya-pañcaka).
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is the sensitive matter called mind permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is the impermanent sensitive element called mind unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable sensitive element called mind be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is mind and matter called ideation (dhammārammaṇa) permanent or impermanent?
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is the impermanent mind and matter called ideation unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable mind and matter called ideation be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is mind-consciousness (māno-vinnāna) permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is the impermanent mind consciousness unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable mind consciousness be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Is mind contact (mano-samphassa) permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Is the impermanent mind contact unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable mind-contact be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “My dear son Rāhula, what do you think of what I am going to ask you now? Are the four mental aggregates, such as sensation (vedanā), perception (saññā), volitions (saṅkhārā) and consciousness (viññāṇa), arising from mind-contact (mano-samphassa), permanent or impermanent?”
Rāhula: “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Are the four impermanent mental aggregates unsatisfactory or satisfactory?”
Rāhula: “Unsatisfactory, venerable sir.”
Buddha: “Should the four impermanent, unsatisfactory and changeable mental aggregates be taken falsely through craving as mine, through conceit as I, and through wrong view as my self?”
Rāhula: “No, venerable sir.”
This is the teaching on the five items concerning the mind (mano-pañcaka).
Such a discourse delivered by asking three times so that the three points of impermanence, suffering and non-self might become clear is called a Dhamma teaching turned three times (teparivaṭṭa-dhamma-desanā).”
“My dear son, Rāhula, when a knowledgeable disciple of mine views thus, he becomes weary of the sensitive matter called eye, he becomes weary of various forms and objects of seeing, he becomes weary of eye-consciousness, he becomes weary of eye-contact, he becomes weary of the four mental aggregates: sensation, perception, volitions and consciousness arising from eye-contact.
He becomes weary of the sensitive matter called ear; he becomes weary of various sounds and objects of hearing …
He becomes weary of the sensitive matter called nose; he becomes weary of various odours and objects of smelling …
He becomes weary of the sensitive matter called tongue; he becomes weary of various tastes and objects of savouring …
He becomes weary of the sensitive matter called body he becomes weary of various contacts and
He becomes weary of the sensitive element called mind; he becomes weary of the objects of ideation. He becomes weary of cognition; he becomes weary of mind-contact; he becomes weary of the four mental aggregates: sensation, perception, volitions and consciousness arising from mind-contact. On becoming weary he is free from attachment, on being free from attachment, he is liberated from mental defilements; on being liberated from the mental defilements, he knows by reflection that he is liberated from the mental defilements.
He gains knowledge through successive reflections thus: Rebirth for me is over. The noble practice has been finished. The task for the path has been carried out. There is nothing more to be done for the path.”
When the Buddha has delivered this Short Discourse giving Advice to Rāhula, Ven. Rāhula became established in Awakening. Among thousands of Devas and Brahmas, some become Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna), some Once-returners (Sakadāgāmī), and the rest Non-returners (Anāgāmī) and some Arahats according to their perfections (pāramī).
Māra’s Threat to Ven. Rāhula
[The following is based on the commentary to the Dhamma Verses (Dhammapada, Dhp 351-352.]
One day, when night fell, a large number of venerables went into the Jetavana monastery, visited Ven. Rāhula’s place and took their seats. As Ven. Rāhula was a junior monk, he could not prevent senior venerables from taking his seat, so he then looked for another place and, finding none, had to lie down at the entrance to the fragrant chamber of the Buddha. At that time, the young Rāhula had just become an Arahat but he had not completed a Rains Retreat (Vassa) yet as a monastic.
From the celestial abode of Vasavatti, his residence, Māra saw Ven. Rāhula lying at the entrance of the Fragrant Chamber and conceived an idea: “The monk, Gotama’s small finger, Rāhula, who will suffer when hurt, is sleeping outside the fragrant chamber. The monk Gotama himself is sleeping inside. If I hurt the small finger, it would mean that I hurt the monk Gotama as well.”
So he assumed the appearance of a huge elephant, approached Ven. Rāhula and embraced Ven. Rāhula’s head with his trunk; moreover he made a heron-like sound at a high pitch. Even while sitting in the Fragrant Chamber, the Buddha knew it was Māra and said: “Hey Māra, even 100,000 Māras, let alone you, are incapable of frightening my son Rāhula. In fact, my son has no fear at all. He is free from craving, very energetic and highly intelligent.”
In order to stamp his word with the seal of Dhamma, the Buddha uttered the following two verses (Dhp 351-2):
Niṭṭhaṅgato asantāsī, vīta-taṇho anaṅgaṇo;
acchindi bhava-sallāni, antimoyaṁ samussayo.
Hey Māra, disturbing one! My son Rāhula is one who has realized the goal of the spiritual life (brahma-cariya-pariyosāna). He is absolutely free from fear, he is purified of the 108 kinds of craving; he is devoid of the 1,500 mental defilements; he has uprooted the thorns and spikes of all existences such as sensual (kāma), material (rūpa) and immaterial (arūpa) existences. The body of my son Rāhula in the present existence is his last body.
Vīta-taṇho anādāno, nirutti-pada-kovido,
akkharānaṁ sannipātaṁ,
sa ve ‘‘antima-sārīro, mahā-pañño mahā-puriso” ti vuccati.
He who is purified of the 108 kinds of craving, has no attachment at all; he does not grasp the five aggregates of the body and the mind as “I,” “mine” and “my self,” he is clever in respect of the fourfold analytical knowledge of meaning, truth, wit and analysis; sees the combinations of letters known as natural speech (sabhāva-nirutti) as they really are; he clearly knows the preceding syllable from the following and the following syllable from the preceding.
If one knowing no natural speech says phusso wrongly with reference to the mental concomitant of phassa: he knows it is phasso, the correct word of the natural speech.
Of the three syllabic word cetanā, for instance, if the initial syllable alone is distinct, from it he correctly knows the indistinct middle and final ones: if the middle syllable alone is distinct, from it he correctly knows the indistinct initial and final in like manner; if the final syllable alone is distinct, from it he correctly knows the indistinct initial and middle in like manner. That person, having his final life, is indeed to be spoken of as a man of great wisdom, an extraordinary man free from the 1,500 moral defilements.
By the end of the discourse many attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala) and so on. Aware of the fact that the Buddha came to know his identity, Māra disappeared from that very place.
The Discourse about the Yakkha Suciloma
The Discourse about the Yakkha Suciloma (Suciloma-sutta) is contained in the Anthology of Discourses (Sutta-nipāta, Snp 2.5) and the Collection of the Thematic Discourses (Saṁyutta-nikāya, SN 10.3). Here the discourse will be retold according to the commentary.
One day when the Buddha emerged from the attainment of great compassion (mahā-karuṇā-samāpatti) immediately before dawn and surveyed the world of sentient beings with his Buddha-eye consisting in the knowledge of the inclinations and disposition of others (āsayānusaya-ñāṇa) and the knowledge of the thoughts and intentions of others (indriya-paro-pariyatti-ñāṇa), he saw the past deeds of merit belonging to the two Yakkha friends: Suciloma and Kharaloma, which would bring about their attainment of Stream-entry. Hence, he took his bowl and robe and set out, even at dawn, and sat on the lithic couch called Ṭaṅkita at the mansion of Suciloma near the village of Gayā.
Ṭaṅkita lithic couch was a stone slab placed on four stones; it served as a seat.
At that time, the two Yakkha friends went out in search of food, wandering about the place somewhat near the Buddha. Of the two Yakkhas, one in his past life happened to have smeared his body with the oil belonging to the Saṅgha without seeking permission. For that unwholesome act, he suffered in hell and was reborn in a Yakkha family near the bank of the lake at Gayā. As a result of his wrong doing, his limbs were big and small and were frighteningly distorted. His skin was like a tiled roof with his skin resembling scales of a fish and terribly rough to touch. When he frightened others, his skin or scales became bloated. As he had a rough body surface, he was called Khara the Yakkha.
The other Yakkha was a supporting lay devotee during the lifetime of the Buddha Kassapa. He used to go to the monastery and listened to the discourse on every day a discourse was taught, which was eight days a month. One day, when the invitation for attendance to the discourse was being announced, he heard it from his farm where he was cleaning it. Without taking a bath lest it should take time, he entered the Observance (Uposatha) hall with his dirty body and lay on a very costly rug on
Because of this and other acts, he suffered in Niraya and became a member of a Yakkha family near the lake at Gayā. As a subsequent result of his bad deeds, he had a terribly ugly look. His body hair was sharp-pointed and pricking like needles. When he frightened other beings, he did so as though he were piercing them with needles. Because he had needle-like hair, he was given the name Suciloma.
Going out of their abode to look for food, the two Yakkha friends walked for some time and returned by the same way. While visiting another place, they happened to reach a place that was somewhere close to the Buddha. Then Kharaloma said to Suciloma what he honestly thought: “That man is a monk!” Suciloma replied: “That man is not a true monk; he is a false monk. I will investigate to find out for certain whether he is a true monk or not.”
Herein, on seeing the appearance of a monk, Kharaloma honestly said: “That man is a monk!” Suciloma was of opinion that: “If the man is fearful, he is not a true monk; he is a false monk,” and wrongly thinking that the Buddha would be frightened, he hastily said: “That man is not a true monk; he is a false monk.” Then he became desirous of making an investigation. Hence he added: “I will investigate to find out for certain whether he is a true monk or not.”
Thereafter Suciloma went up to the Buddha and bent his big ugly, bristling body towards the Buddha. The Buddha suddenly moved his body to the other side. This prompted Suciloma to ask: “Are you frightened by me, monk?” – “Dear Yakkha,” answered the Buddha, “I am not frightened by you. Your body contact is indeed rough and vile though!”
Seeing the Buddha without the slightest trace of fear, Suciloma thought: “Despite his experience of my body that was so rough, this man, though a real human, is not afraid. Now I shall present to him some problems worthy of an omniscient Buddha’s sphere of wisdom (Buddha-visaya). He will not be able to tackle them fully. Then I shall torment him in so many ways.” So he said rudely: “Monk, I shall ask you some questions. If you cannot give me a thorough answer, I shall drive you mad; or, I shall burst open your heart; or, I shall throw you to the other bank of the river by catching hold of your legs.”
Then the Buddha with his face gladdened by great compassion said: “Friend Yakkha, the celestial world with its Devas, Māras and Brahmas, and the terrestrial world with its ascetics, Brahmins and princes, in either of these two worlds, I see none who is able to make me mad, or to burst open my heart, or to throw me to the other bank of the river by catching hold of my legs. Be that as it may, friend Yakkha, ask me whatever questions you want. I shall answer your questions without leaving out anything.” When the Buddha invited the Yakkha’s questions the way an omniscient Buddha would, Suciloma put his question thus in verse (Snp 273):
Rāgo ca doso ca kuto-nidānā,
aratī ratī loma-haṁso kutojā,
kuto samuṭṭhāya mano-vitakkā,
kumārakā dhaṅkam-ivossajanti.
Monk! Where do lust and hate have their source? Displeasure in the wholesome things of a quiet forest monastery, pleasure in the five sense objects, and goose flesh (cittutrāsa-dhamma) the sign of a terrified mind, from what do these three kinds of emotion arise? As village children throw up a crow for fun after tying its feet with a rope, from where do the ninefold thoughts appear and overthrow wholesome consciousness?
Then the Buddha gave his answer and taught Suciloma Yakkha with the following verses (Snp 274-275):
Rāgo ca doso ca ito-nidānā,
aratī ratī loma-haṁso itojā,
ito samuṭṭhāya mano-vitakkā,
kumārakā dhaṅkam-ivossajanti.
Dear Yakkha! Lust and hate have their source in this body. These three kinds of emotion: Displeasure in the wholesome things of a quiet forest monastery, pleasure in the five sense objects, and goose flesh arise from this body. As village children throw up a crow for fun after tying its feet with a rope, so the ninefold thoughts appear from this very body and overthrow wholesome consciousness.
Snehajā atta-sambhūtā, nigrodhasseva khandhajā,
puthū visattā kāmesu, māluvā va vitatāvane.
Friend Yakkha! As shoots of a banyan tree appear on its trunk, so do lust, hate and the like caused by the sap of craving appear on this very body; just as creepers in the forest wrap up the tree that they cling around, so innumerable moral defilements attach themselves in a strange manner to the sense objects and pleasures.
Ye naṁ pajānanti yato-nidānaṁ,
te naṁ vinodenti suṇohi Yakkha,
te duttaraṁ ogham-imaṁ taranti,
atiṇṇa-pubbaṁ apunabbhavāyā.
Listen, friend Yakkha! Certain persons know thoroughly that the physical frame, which is the embodiment of the five aggregates, and which forms the truth of suffering, has its source in craving and greed, which forms the truth of the cause of suffering; they drive away that craving and greed, the truth of the cause of suffering, by means of the truth of the eightfold path leading to the cessation of suffering. These noble ones, who have thus driven away craving and greed, the cause of suffering, cross over this fourfold torrential flood of moral defilements, the flood which is difficult to overcome, which has not been crossed over in their past existences in Saṁsāra, not even in a dream, for the non-arising of rebirth, which is the truth of the cessation of suffering.
When the two Yakkha friends had heard these Dhamma verses, both of them attained Stream-entry (Sotāpatti-phala) as the verses came to an end. As soon as the two friends become noble Stream-enterers (Sotāpanna), their original ugliness and bad looks disappeared. With a bright golden complexion and bedecked in Deva ornaments, they assumed an appearance that was pleasant to beholders.